Extension car-step.



J. P. RODENBUR.

EXTENSION CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3. 1915.

1,170,338. Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

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J. P. RODENBUR EXTENSION CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1915.

1,170,338. Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

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ED STATES PATENT OFFICE? JOHN P. RODENIBUR, or DULUTH, ivimixinsorA.

' EXTENSION CAR-STEP.

Application filed June 3, 1915. Serial No. 31,917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHNP. RoDnNBUn, a citizen of the United States,.re siding at Duluth, in the county of 'St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension Car- Steps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an extension step for cars which is particularly applicable to railroad passenger coaches.

As a principal object, it is contemplated by this invention to provide a supplemental car step which may be moved into a position below the lowermost permanent step of a railroad coach platform in order to facilitate the passage of car occupants between the ground and such platform.

More specifically, it is aimed to provide. a supplemental step of the character set forth which shall have its treading surface always parallel to the fixed car steps and which shall be snugly received beneath the lower most fixed step when not extended for use. It is a further specific object'to'provide brackets secured to the side shields of car steps in which there may be slidably and. antifrictionally mounted step supports which will coact with each bracket to brace the step against weight of passengers thereon, when in its extended position.

The above and additional objects which will hecome apparent as this explanatory description proceeds are. accomplished; by such means as are illustrated in the accom panying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and: .form a part of this application. 7

ith reference to the drawings, wherein there is illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts: Figure 1 is an end view of a railway passenger coach provided with the extension step of this invention, Fig. 2 is an elevation of the subject matter of Fig. 1 taken at right angles thereto, Fig. 3 is a sectional view through a car platform, and looking rearwardly at the operating mechanism for the step, Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the step as extended, Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken longitudinally through one of the supporting brackets showing the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb; 1, 1916;

means of mounting the step supports antifrictionally, and Fig. 6 is aperspective view of an isolatedcar step supporti In the. drawings, a car, railway coach or similar vehicle is designated A and, is provided at each extremity with'a platform 10. At each side, the platform 10 is cut away in the usual. manner indicated at 11 in order to provide for the reception of lateral steps which include treads 12 and risers 13. Side shields 14 are carried by the steps and it is to such shields that the extension step of this invention is attached.

Brackets: 15 which may be readily formed from scrap iron or a similar metal have one end secured to respective shields l4 and have their opposite extremities bent back upon themselves to pass under the shield to form a loop portion 16.. A pair of these brackets is secured to each shield 14 through the medium'of bolts or a similar means 17 and in their alined loops 16, the extension sup ports 18 are slidable. One of these supports has been illustrated in Fig.6 and is shown as being formed from strap steel or iron in order to be slijdable within'the loop 16 of the bracket. One extremity of each step support is bent over to form a catch portion 19 while the opposite extremity is flanged in the angular manner denoted by the numeral 20 for the purpose of extending under the step 21 to be supported. 'Anti-. frictional means 22 are adapted to contact with each support 18, being preferably roller bearings having vtrunnions which mount themin the loops 16 in themanner particularly illustrated in Fig. 5. v

The step 21 includes merely a treading surface. supported upon the flange extremities 20 of the supports '18 and provided with a foot guard 23 which may appropriately hear an advertisement o'r'a manufacturers notation ofthe extension step. Means 24L secure the step 21 upon the supports 18 and in a position parallel to the treads 12 of the fixed car steps, which position is maintained through all of the movements of the extention step due to the sliding method of projecting this step into its position of use.

The means for sliding the step outwardly include a lever arm 25, also preferably formed of a strap metal, one extremity of which is pivotally supportedby a'pair of metallic bands 26 secured to the bottom of the step 21 and having adjacent spaced extremities upwardly flanged for the pivotal reception of the lever arm 25. The opposite 11 This latter is preferably of the shape illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, being pivoted to ears carried by the car platform 10 and carrying the detent lug 36 for locking engagement with a segment 37 supported in the path of the lever 34: in the manner shown.

In use the crank extremities 27 and 30 of the rock shaft 29 extend at different angles in order to properly transmit rotational movement of the operating lever to the inclined sliding movement adapted to project the step 21 from its dotted line position in Fig. 3 to its extended position serving as a supplemental tread surface for the entrance or departure of passengers into the car A. The lever arms 25 and the step supports 18 readily form an economical operating and supporting structure for an extension step, when taken in conjunction with the brackets 15. No parts are exposed which may become clogged with dirt or rendered inoperative by an accumulation of ice or small particles while the turned over extremities 19 of each of the step supports is adapted to contact directly with the uppermost bracket 15 of each step shield in the manner best shown in Fig. 4 to form a brace for the step 21.

Vfhile in the foregoing however, there has thus been illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is desired to emphasize the fact that such minor changes in the matters of proportion and degree may be made in later adaptations of this device as shall not alter the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. I That is claimed is:

1. In an extension car'step, the combina- 7 tion with fixed steps including side shield Copies of'this patent may be obtained for members, strap members secured to the outer faces of said side shield members and having their lower ends bent under the inclined rear edges of said side shield members and directed upwardly parallel with the latter, spaced bearing rollers mounted in the upwardly directed ends of said strap members and the parallel portions of said side shield members, an extension step, guide strips secured to the under face of said extension step and having their main portions twisted and slidably engaged in said upwardly extended ends of said strap members between said rollers, the upper ends of said giude strips being bent at right angles for engagement with the uppermost strap member to limit downward movement of said extension step, a lever, and operative connections between said lever and said extension ear step to move the latter upwardly and clownwardly upon operation of said lever.

2. In an extension car step, the combination with fixed steps including side shield members, strap members secured to the outer faces of said side shield members and having their lower ends bent under the inclined rear edges of said side shield members and directed upwardly parallel with the latter, spaced bearing rollers mounted in the upwardly directed ends of said strap members and the parallel portions of said side shield members, an extension step, guide strips secured to the under face of said extension step and having their main portions twisted and slidably engaged in said upwardly extended ends of said strap. members between said rollers, the upper ends of said guide strips being bent at right angles for engagement with the uppermost strap member to limit downward movement of said extension step, a lever, a rock shaft mounted in said side shield member, connections between said rock shaft and said extension car step, and connections between said rock shaft and said lever to cause movement of said extension car step toward and away from said fixed steps upon operation of said lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. RODENBUR.

Witnesses: g

V. A. DASH, J. WV. MCDONALD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

